


home (or something like it)

by icarusinflight



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Finding Family, Finding your place, M/M, Pre-Relationship, both blood and spiritual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-06 21:42:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14656812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icarusinflight/pseuds/icarusinflight
Summary: The hatch on the ship opens and Lotor feels a thrill at the thought of seeing Keith again.  After Keith had saved his life at the Kral Zera, Keith had disappeared from the planet without a word, leaving behind only the bruises Lotor had gained from Keith’s tackle.Keith returns to the Castle with Krolia, and Lotor helps him come to terms with what that means





	home (or something like it)

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for [mrcatlion](http://mrcatlion.tumblr.com/)
> 
> You asked for Keith and Lotor supporting each other - and found family, I hope this fic achieves this for you. While the catalyst here is Keith finding Krolia, I tried to instill that his other family is just as important to Keith. I hope that comes through for you

_ “Ship incoming.” _

_ “That will be Keith.” _

He’s not informed of Keith’s return.

There’s nothing Lotor hates more than  _ not knowing _ , and the fact that Allura and Shiro clearly knew, but didn’t inform him causes his temper to rise. It’s only tempered by the fact that clearly the rest of the Paladins are just as surprised as he is at the news. He sees their faces after the announcement, sees a mix of shock, hurt, anger, but eventually they all have one thing in common – joy.

Not that he’d admit it, but he’s also pleased by the Littlest Blade’s return. Keith’s presence on the ship has been limited, even during Lotor’s imprisonment he’d only seen the Blade a half dozen times. There were a few times between when Lotor had been released from his cage, before Keith left on missions. Since then only seen Keith on the video call, standing beside the far larger Blade Kolivan. 

The last time Lotor had seen Keith had been at the Kral Zera. When the dust had settled, and the witch and her puppet had been defeated, Keith had been nowhere to be found.

Lotor follows the Paladins as they rush to. He’s not sure he’s really welcome here. His presence here is still a tenuous thing, and while Allura seems to accept it, he’s aware of the fact that the Paladins — with the exception of Shiro — only accept his presence because she does.

But his desire to see Keith outweighs his discomfort, or any lingering resentment regarding the surprise arrival.

There’s a foreign ship in the hangar when they walk in. Foreign to the Castle, but not to Lotor. He recognises it immediately as a Galra ship, just like the ones he’s seen many times before. The ship has clearly seen better days, there’s damage to one of the wings — and it would have taken a talented pilot to fly the ship to the Castle in that state — and Lotor has zero doubt that Keith could handle it.

The hatch on the ship opens and Lotor feels a thrill at the thought of seeing Keith again.  After Keith had saved his life at the Kral Zera, Keith had disappeared from the planet without a word, leaving behind only the bruises Lotor had gained from Keith’s tackle.

The butterflies in his stomach turn to stones when Keith walks out accompanied by another figure.

The figure is a Galra female, a high ranking officer from the markings on her suit. She looks familiar to Lotor — though he can’t place her from his memory. 

They stand close on the ship door, and Keith looks uncomfortable, eyes flitting around the hangar — though he doesn’t make eye contact with anyone in the area. Lotor feels a flush of something  in his stomach— and he feels uncomfortable at the sight, though he would prefer not to think about why. He had felt something of an affinity for his fellow half-Galra soldier — and had thought Keith had felt it too. They’d even had a standing date of sorts; once Lotor had been released from his prison cell he’d found Keith in the observation room late at night — or early in the morning, and it had become a habit for them, talking when it had seemed like sleep eluded them both.

Lotor had thought they were growing closer before. Except now Keith has picked up another Galra. 

It makes him angry to think he’s been replaced so easily.

Lotor stares Keith down as he walks the door of the ship with his friend, both of them approaching the small gathering in front of them. Keith’s eyes carefully avoiding them, while his female companion stares them down, eyes roving the room. There’s barely a flinch when her eyes find Lotor — she’s either brave or foolish, and Lotor feels a distinct dislike for this woman, even knowing he would usually appreciate that in a soldier.

“Hi,” Keith’s voice is quiet, but in the silence of the room it feels loud, “It’s been a while. I umm — I wanted to introduce you to Krolia.”

Keith’s eyes finally looking up, and they flick over the group, briefly before landing on Shiro.

“Krolia is my — she's my mom.”

* * *

 

Lotor still goes to the observation deck when he can't sleep. He can sit and look out at the planets — and maybe it's still a place he associates with Keith even though he hasn't been there in quintants. 

He's not expecting to see Keith when he walks to the observation room, but he can't deny a part of him does hope to find Keith there. 

The shock of black hair only just visible from behind the lounge is exactly what he's hoping to see. 

Keith's sitting on the floor, back leaning against the lounge in a way Lotor has become familiar. Keith always sits on the ground on these nights, never on the lounge. 

“Hello Keith,” he says, as he takes a seat beside Keith on the lounge. Keith's eyes are on the window, gazing out over the planets and stars visible from the window. 

“Hey,” Keith replies, not looking at Lotor. 

Lotor takes advantage of his position to cast his gaze over Keith. His hair is still damp — probably from the showers, Keith usually turns down the drying units after bathing, something Lotor doesn't understand, but Keith seems to prefer. The ex-paladin has changed out of his Blade uniform now, and he has his own clothes on. It's a change, a peeling of the layers Keith so carefully prepares to face the Universe. Lotor likes to think it means something. 

He wonders if Krolia has seen Keith like this yet. 

The silence is comfortable, and Lotor has always appreciated Keith's ability to sit in silence, he does feel a need to fill the quiet with words like some of the other Castle inhabitants. He wants to appreciate the easiness of it, but Lotor can't relax, he can feel the weight of all the questions he wants to ask. 

He doesn't know how to broach the subject though, in all the conversations they've had, nothing has prepared Lotor for one such as this. 

“Krolia—” he starts, before his voice trails off. Lotor usually prides himself on being well spoken, on having words for every situation. He can talk himself out of trouble and is never at a loss for words.

Except he can’t seem to find the words for this situation.

“I never expected to find her.” 

Keith’s voice is quiet, soft, but that does nothing to hide the emotion in the words. Lotor wants to do something, wants to help in someway or ease the load but he can’t think how, hasn’t been in this situation before — has never wanted to help someone, to be there for someone like he wants to be there for Keith.

He’s happy for Keith, he realises after a moment. Happy, but worried. Worried about Keith — who himself looks so worried, still staring out the the window — and worried about where that will leave him in Keith’s life. He’s a little jealous of the new person in Keith’s life as well, he’s never been foolish enough to think he was the only one to draw Keith’s attention, but he’d felt like they had something special before — something he’s worried will be taken away now that Keith has found his  _ real family. _

Jealousy sits uncomfortably on his shoulders.

“How fortuitous that you did,” he offers when he can’t bring himself to admit any of his thoughts, any of his feelings that are running round his head.

Keith gives a soft laugh.

“It wasn’t fortune,” Keith admits, “I was sent on a mission. I found her there.”

“Ah. So it was preordained by the Blades.”

Keith hums his affirmative, and the words and their meaning swirl around in Lotor’s head. Keith finding his mother could only mean one thing —

“Will you be leaving the Castle with her?” Lotor asks. The words tumble out quicker than he intends, a hint of panic in them which he never meant to add, which he never wanted to show to Keith, or anyone.

“No,” Keith replies, cutting off his train of thought before it can get too far away from him. “No. I have asked Allura if we can stay here.” Keith draws his knees up, wrapping arms around his legs — something Lotor has seen Keith do before, but never outside of this room. “We have a lot of catching up to do, but I wanted to do it somewhere familiar. Somewhere like home.”

Lotor doesn’t have the words for that, but he wants to do something, anything. Tentatively, he leans forward, reaching out his hand for Keith’s shoulder. It’s an action he’s seen Shiro do before, but has never tried himself, and he hopes he’s not overstepping in doing so. When his hand makes contact, Keith’s head twitches, shooting to look up at Lotor, but he doesn’t move away from Lotor, something he takes as permission. Keith smiles at him, and Lotor has seen a thousand suns and stars, and never something as beautiful as Keith’s smile.

He feels his face run hot as his own lips turn up in a reflection.

“I’m worried,” Keith admits, “I’ve never had a mother, and it’s been long time since I’ve had a parent. What if I mess this up?”

It’s a sentiment Lotor can understand — his time here often feels like he’s walking on a knife edge, just waiting until he makes the mistake which results in them sending him packing. It’s still better than the alternative though, would take this over his empty ship with the Galra anyday.

Especially with Keith here.

“I’d never had a friend,” Lotor confesses, “not until you. If I can handle that then I’m sure you can handle finding a parent.”

Keith drops his eyes from Lotor’s ducking his head to look at the Lotor’s hand, still on his shoulder. Lotor thinks he can see a blush across his cheeks.

“I guess we’re all learning then,” Keith says, his voice quiet but clear.

“It’s good to be home,” Keith admits with another smile.

“It’s good to be home,” Lotor agrees. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Mrcatlion I hope you liked this fic! While the catalyst here is Keith finding Krolia, I tried to instill that his other family is just as important to Keith. I hope that comes through for you
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Comments and Kudos give me life  
> Find me at tumblr at [candybarrnerd](http://candybarrnerd.tumblr.com/)


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